Muffler construction



June 20, 1961 J. D. I QEESE 2,989,137

MUFFLER CONSTRUCTION Filed May 29, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

'OUTLET FIG. 2

INVENTOR JAMES D. REESE ATTORNEYS June 20, 1961 J. D. REESE MUFFLER CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1959 16 3| FIG. 4,

T E L T U 0 Fl 3 INVENTOR JAMES D. REESE BY D ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,989,137 MUFFLER CONSTRUCTION James D. Reese, 18 W. Crosier St., Akron 11, Ohio Filed May 29, 1959, Ser. No. 816,937 8 Claims. (Cl. 181-49) The present invention relates generally to mufliers. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved muflier construction for receiving expanding and noiseproducing exhaust gases such as are discharged from internal combustion engines.

The problems encountered in the construction of a satisfactory exhaust mufiler are many. The muffler should silence to a barely audible level gases which are pulsatingly discharged under high pressure; the exhaust gases should be cooled; solid combustion products, particularly those of organic composition, should largely be retained within the muffler and not discharged to contaminate the atmosphere; and, the muffler should be long-lived and not require frequent replacement as is now often the case. A satisfactory mufller should attain each of these objects and yet be of low cost and economical construction.

Heretofore, several constructions have been employed to provide the desired mufiiing or dampening effect: Use of a series of expansion chambers to allow diminution of the pressure prior to release to the atmosphere; use of an energy dissipation chamber which, by creating a path of considerable length around the inside of a circular chamber, converts the high pressure pulsating velocity stream into a lower pressure stream of comparatively uniform velocity and hence less noise producing; use of a series of baffles or other free-flow impediments to retard and slow the flow, absorb the energy, and thereby dampen the noise producing pulsation; or, use of a cooling jacket over the exhaust system to diminish the pressure.

Known mufflers employing the above-described construction features are of such overall dimensions as to require their being installed on the underside of an automobile. So located, they are readily exposed to water and salty slush thrown by the rotating Wheels and, consequently, are quickly rusted and require early replacement. Such a location also makes the muffler easily exposed to stones and pebbles thrown by the tires. Also, when replacement is required, it is not readily accessible to allow ease of removal or installation. This difficulty adds not only to the inconvenience but also to the expense of replacement.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a mufiler inexpensive to construct, which is both relatively simple in design and durable in use, but which will effect completely adequate silencing with greater efficiency than any known mufller construction.

Another object is to provide an improved mufller construction incorporating an expansion chamber type of construction but which is not cumbersome or overly large in dimension.

Another object is to provide an improved mufller construction incorporating also the impediment or baffle type construction but which does not build up sufiicient back pressure to appreciably reduce the efficiency of the engine.

Another object is to provide a mufiler of a construction whichwill permit its being installed at a location other than on the exposed under portion of an automobile.

Another object is to provide a mufier construction of sufliciently small dimension to permit its installation Vertically within the engine compartment.

Another object is to provide a muffler construction which will permit an installation location which is readily accessible to permit easy installation, repair or removal either by merely lifting the hood on the automobile on which it is installed or by working from under the automobile. I c

Patented June 20, 1961 These and other objects will be apparent in view of the following detailed description and the attached drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing an improved mufller according to the invention installed in the front portion of an automobile;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a muflier according to the invention partially cut away to show the internal construction;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially as indicated on line 33 of FIG. 2; and

Fig. 4 is another vertical section taken substantially as indicated on line 44 of FIG. 2.

In general, an exhaust mufller according to the inven tion is indicated generally by the numeral 10 and includes an elongated rectangularly shaped casing, which is longitudinally divided into inlet and outlet chambers. The inlet and outlet chambers communicate with each other only through a predetermined number of small diameter openings. The inlet and outlet chambers are each further divided by a preferably U-shaped baflle member into an inner and an outer compartment. Communication between each inner and outer compartment of a chamber is provided by a series of specially shaped spherical protuberances having striated passageways for the passage of exhaust gas.v

As shown in FIG. 1, the mufller 10 is particularly suited for mounting within the engine compartment 11 of an automobile 12, just to the rear of engine 13. The muffler 10 is secured in operative position by bolting, strapping, or other suitable means (not shown). The mufiler inlet, indicated generally at 14, communicates with the manifold 15. The mufller outlet, indicated generally at 16, communicates with the exhaust pipe 17.

The mufiler 10 has an elongated rectangularly shaped outer casing 20 fabricated of a suitable metal. The casing 20 is preferably formed with an integral bottom plate 21 and a removable top plate 22, attachable to an upper flange 23 as by a series of bolts 24. The interior of casing 20 is longitudinally divided into similar and substantially equal volume chambers by a divider plate 25. As best shown in FIG. 2, the divider plate 25 may be fabricated with lip flanges 26 which are firmly attached to the front and rear walls 27 and 28, respectively, of the casing 20.

As described above, the longitudinal divider 25 defines two chambers within casing 20; an inlet chamber 251 and an outlet chamber 250. Chamber 251 communicates with mufller inlet 14 through a flanged port 29, preferably located near the upper end of casing wall 27. Chamber 250 communicates with mufller outlet 16 through a flanged port 30, preferably located near the lower end of easing wall 28. It will be noted that the flanges of ports 29 and 30 may be formed with one or more expansion slots 31, if desired, for secure connecton of the exhaust manifold 15 and pipe 17.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the sole communication between the chambers 25I and 250 is provided by a series of small diameter openings 36 located medially of the divider plate 25. The diameter of each opening 33 should be at least one-half inch. Also, there should be a total of at least four such openings with a total of six, as shown, being preferred.

The hot exhaust gases entering chamber 251 can pass through openings 33 into compartment 250 only after being subjected to the mufiling or dampening effect of a baiflle member 35. The battlie member 35 divides the exhaust inlet chamber (2 5I) into an outer and an inner compartment, indicated at 36 and 37, respectively. As best shown in FIG. 3, the baffle member is U-shaped and may be fabricated with lip flanges 38 which are firmly attached to the inlet side of divider 25 and a side wall 59 of casing 20. The open end of baflle 35 is sealed against an- A 3 v the casing bottom plate 21. The closed end of baffle 35 is located a sufii'cient distance below the casing top plate 22, preferably terminating in a plane aligned with the inlet port 29, so that gases from inlet 14 will flow freely to all areas of the outer inlet compartment 36.

The hot exhaust gases pass from the outer compartment 36 into the inner compartment 37 through a series of specially shaped spherical protuberances 40 carried on theleg portions of the U-shaped baflle 35. The protuberances 40 are striated with strips .41 alternating with passagew'ays 42. For ease of fabrication, the protuberances 40 are preferably formed with hemispherical mating portions which are then assembled in the fully spherical shape.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the hemispherical portion of protuberances 40 which project into the outer chamber 36 may be formed, as by stamping, from a rectangular plate 44. The leg portions of the baffle member 35 may be formed, also as by stamping, with mating hemispherical portions projecting into the inner chamber 37. The plates 44 so formed may be attached, as by welding, to the leg portions of batfie 35, providing the fully spherical shape of protuberances 40.

The exhaust outlet chamber (250) of the mufiler construction has an interior construction similar to that described above for chamber 251. A U-shaped bafile member 45 divides chamber 250 into an inner and an outer compartment, indicated at 46 and 47, respectively. As best shown in FIG. 4, the baille 45 is similar in construction to bafile 35 but is preferably located in chamber 251 so that the open end of the bafile is sealed against the casing top plate 22. The closed end of baflle 45 is located a suificient distance above the casing bottom plate 21, preferably terminating in a plane aligned with the outlet port 30, so that cooled, muified and dampened gases will tflow freely from all areas of outer exhaust compartment 47 to the outlet 16. The bafile 45 may be held in place by lip flanges 48 which are firmly attached to the outlet side of divider 25 and a side wall 49 of the casing 20.

The cooler exhaust gases entering chamber 250 through openings 33 are further subjected to the muffling or dampening effect by a series of spherical protuberances 50 on the baffle 45. The protuberances 50 are preferably identical with the inlet ba-file protuberances 40 described above, and have alternate strips 51 and passageways 52.

In conclusion, a mufiler according to the invention receives hot exhaust gases from the inlet 14. The gases enter chamber 251, and pass from the outer compartment 36 into the inner compartment 37, through the passageways 42 in protuberances 40. From inner compartment 37 the gases pass through openings 33 in divider plate 25 into inner compartment 46 of chamber 250, and then through passageways 52 in protuberances 50 into outer compartment 47. The cooled gases are then expelled from outlet 16 to enter the atmosphere as smooth flowing gases whose pulsating pressure has been dampened to remove the irritatingly loud and sharp noises.

What is claimed is:

1. An exhaust muifier comprising, a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, a divider within said casing defining an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, openings in said divider providing communication between said chambers, a battle member in said inlet chamber between said inlet port and said divider openings, and a batfie member in said outlet chamber between said divider openings and said outlet port, each of said baffle members having a series of spherical protuberances thereon, each of said spherical protuberances having a series of passage ways therethrough providing communication through said bafile members.

2. An exhaust mufiler comprising, an elongate rectangular casing having an inlet port and an outlet port on opposite sides thereof, a divider extending longitudinally of said casing defining an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, openings in said divider providing communica- 4 tion between said chambers, a baifie member in said inlet chamber between said inlet port and said divider openings, and a baffie member in said outlet chamber between said divider openings and said outlet port, each of said bafile members having a series of spherical protuberances thereon, each of said spherical protuberances having a series of passageways therethrough providing communication through said bafile members.

3. An exhaust mufiler comprising, a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, a divider within said casing defining an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, openings in said divider providing communication between said chambers, a U-shaped baflle member in said inlet chamber between said inlet port and said divider open-,

ings, and a second U-shaped batfie member in said outlet chamber between said divider openings and said outlet port, each of said battle members having a series of spherical protuberances thereon, each of said spherical protuberances having a series of passageways therethrough providing communication through said baffle members.

4. An exhaust mufiler comprising, a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, a divider within said casing defining an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, openings in said divider providing communication between said chambers, a U-shaped baffie member in said inlet chamber defining an outer compartment in communication with said inlet port and an inner compartment in communication with said divider openings, and a second U-shaped baffie member in said outlet chamber defining an inner compartment in communication with said divider openings and an outer compartment in communication with said outlet port, each of said baffle members having a series of spherical protuberances thereon, each of said spherical protuberances having a series of elongated striated passageways therethrough providing communication between said inner and outer compartments.

5. An exhaust mufiler comprising, a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, a divider within said casing defining an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, openings in said divider providing communication between said chambers, a U-shaped bafile member in said inlet chamber defining an outer compartment in communication with said inlet port and an inner compartment in communication with said divider openings, and a second U-shaped bafile member in said outlet chamber defining an inner compartment in communication with said divider openings and an outer compartment in communication with said outlet port, each of said baffie members having a series of spherical protuberances thereon, each of said spherical protuberances having a series of passageways therethrough providing communication between said inner and outer compartments.

6. An exhaust muffler comprising: an elongate rectangular casing having front, rear and side walls, top and bottom plates, an inlet port on said front wall adjacent said top plate and an outlet port on said rear wall adjacent said bottom plate; a divider plate extending longitudinally of said casing between said front and rear walls defining an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber; a series of small diameter openings located medially of said divider plate; a U-shaped baffie member in said inlet chamber having its open end sealed against said bottom plate and its closed end terminating in a plane aligned with said inlet port and defining an outer compartment in communication with said inlet port and an inner compartment in communication with said divider openings; and a second U-shaped bafile member in said outlet chamber having its open end sealed against said top plate and its closed end terminating in a plane aligned with said outlet port and defining an inner compartment in communication with said divider openings and an outer compartment in communication with said outlet port, each of said baffie members having a series of passageways therethrough providing communication :between said inner and outer compartments.

7. An exhaust muffier comprising: an elongate rectangular casing having front, rear and side walls, top and bottom plates, an inlet port on said front wall adjacent said top plate and an outlet port on said rear wall adjacent said bottom plate; a divider plate extending longitudinally of said casing between said front and rear walls defining an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber; a series of small diameter openings located medially of said divider plate; a U-shaped baffie member in said inlet chamber having its open end sealed against said bottom plate and its closed end terminating in a plane aligned with said inlet port and defining an outer compartment in communication with said inlet port and an inner compartment in communication with said divider openings; and a second U-shaped bafile member in said outlet chamber having its open end sealed against said top plate and its closed end terminating in a plane aligned with said outlet port and defining an inner compartment in communication with said divider openings and an outer compartment in communication with said outlet port, each of said bafile members having a series of elongated striated passageways therethrough providing communication between said inner and outer compartments.

8. An exhaust mufller comprising: an elongate rectangular casing having front, rear and side walls, top and bottom plates, an inlet port on said front wall adjacent said top plate and an outlet port on said rear wall adjacent said bottom plate; a divider plate extending longitudinally of said casing between said front and rear walls defining an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber;

a series of small diameter openings located medially of said divider plate; a U-shaped bafile member in said inlet chamber having its open end sealed against said bottom plate and its closed end terminating in a plane aligned with said inlet port and defining an outer compartment in communication with said inlet port and an inner compartment in communication with said divider openings; and a second U-shaped baffle member in said outlet chamber having its open end sealed against said top plate and its closed end terminating in a plane aligned with said outlet port and defining an inner compartment in communication with said divider openings and an outer compartment in communication with said outlet port, each of said bafile members having a series of spherical protuberances thereon, each of said spherical protuberances having a series of passageways therethrough providing communication between said inner and outer compartments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 991,515 Karminski et al. May 9, 1911 1,200,688 Anderson Oct. 10, 1916 1,687,308 Paradise Oct. 9, 1928 1,839,192 Baits Jan. 5, 1932 2,054,324 Hollerith Sept. 15, 1936 2,122,086 Chase June 28, 1938 2,416,452 Marx Feb. 25, 1947 2,484,521 May Oct. 11, 1949 2,575,233 Plasse Nov. 13, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 44,552 France Dec. 5, 1934 (1st Add. of 754,690) 

